A Moment For Us
by N. Murai
Summary: He didn't know what to with his life after the 'Kadaj-Incident' as Yuffie called it. But he did know who he wanted to spend it with.  The Characters Do Not Belong To Me.
1. Chapter 1

Murai: I was watching Advent Children last night (for like, the millionth time…) and I thought, What the hell happens afterward? So… this baby was born.  
>I feel anytime I write Cloud, its really out of character…. Oh well. Here's this. Hope you life it.<br>It's my first Final Fantasy one on this website.  
>I'll update it randomly, for I have a small muse.<p>

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><p>To those who lived this world<br>And knew friendly company within.  
>This Reunion is for you.<br>**_FF7 Advent Children_**

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><p>"<em>Which is it Cloud? A memory or us?"<br>_"_I think she's telling you to get over it, man."  
><em>"_Stop running! I know, if you find the kids, you might not be able to help them! Maybe something well happen that can never unnhappen. That scares you doesn't it?"  
><em>"_You think you've got it so damn hard? Well you hate being alone so let people in."  
><em>"_Which is it? A memory or us…"  
><em>"_Dilly-dally shilly-shally. Isn't it time you do the forgiving?  
><em>"_You came, even though you're about to break. That's a good sign."  
><em>"_Glad you can make it! You see this man? He's our big brother. But alas, in our happy flock he's what you'd call a black sheep."  
><em>"_Why don't you pay any attention to us?"  
><em>"_Tseng and Elena. They were brought here half-dead. They must have been brutally tortured."  
><em>"_If they wanted to, they could recreate Sephiroth."  
><em>"_Recreate Sephiroth."  
><em>_It kept repeating on and on through his head as he saw himself stand in the vast of white. He put his hands to his ears in a futile attempt to block it all out.  
><em>"_Shut up!" He saw himself yell. "Shut up!"  
><em>_And one voice screamed his name._

Cloud woke up with a start , perspiration on his brow. He clenched a hand to his chest and sat there a moment, letting the dream sink in and remembering who he was and where he was.

"Just a nightmare…" He said to himself as he threw the thin blanket off himself and went to the window. Outside he saw to lights of the town almost hidden by a think layer of fog and darkness that seemed to go on for miles. 'Maybe it did,' the blonde-haired man thought to himself as he checked the clock for the time. Three in the morning.

He shook his head and went to put on a shirt. 'Maybe a ride would clear my head…'

He couldn't remember the last time he didn't have nightmares. But he knew when these one's started. Right after the 'Kadaj-incident', as Yuffie calls it. It was a living nightmare itself. Before then, he had dreams of those blue eyes that still haunt him and the world as he had knew it ending instead of the life stream saving it. He had had dreams of Aerith's death and her somehow coming from the grave to haunt him. Even now, he can't figure them out. She had helped him through the 'Kadaj-Incident' after all.

After dressing himself, he grabbed his keys, his goggles, and his phone. Tifa had chastised him last time for not bringing it on one of his nightly rides.

Cloud walked out of the home he had shared with Tifa and the children, and stood on the sidewalk. Goose-bumps raised on his bare arms and made him shiver a tiny bit. It was about that time when the weather turned chilly. It refreshed him and took his mind off of the dream.

He hurried over to his motorcycle, one Cid and Barrett had gotten him for his birthday last month since his older one had gotten wrecked during his fight with…. He shook his head again, slid the goggles over his spiky hair and blue eyes, and hopped onto the bike and turned it on, loving the way it roared underneath him. He kicked the kickstand up, revved the machine, and drove off.

Going out of town, he entered the country side soon, reaching about ninety miles per hour. Cloud loved this feeling. The freeness of the air that flowed past him and the crisp morning air that woke him up. The air isn't as polluted as it were when the Rufus and his father had basically taken over the world with their soldiers and used the earth's energy to create an easier way to live. Cloud inwardly chuckled at that. Shinra's way of thinking had put Midgar and other cities in the sorry state they were in. But that was the past.

Cloud pulled up to a cliff that looked over what used to be Midgar. His eyes fell of Zack's sword, which stood proud and rusted. But proud all the same.

He turned the motorcycle off, put the kickstand down, and went to sit beside the sword.

"Hey, old friend." He murmured to the air, whether to him or to his friend, he didn't know. He closed his eyes and imagined his friend beside him. He imagined his friend's smile and his friend's voice.

"Hey Cloud!" His imagined friend said. The area around him disappeared and they both sat white. White had surrounded them. It comforted Cloud for it was an area he thought of often.

Cloud 'opened' his eyes and saw his grinning friend sitting across from him, looking so completely relaxed, it annoyed him. But at the same time, it comforted him to know nothing has or will change with his friend.

"You have too much free time, to be up and about like this." The other had said as he laughed heartedly and ran a hand through his black hair.

"And you're one to talk." Cloud said in a monotone voice, slightly smiling. A pang in his heart reminded him that it was his fault that his friend was killed. His smile disappeared.

"Cloud, stop beating your self up. Its nothing. I'm fine." 'Zack' had said as he leaned forward and flicked Cloud's forehead. "No-thing."

"But I…" Cloud began but stopped as his friend glared at him heavily.

"Stop Cloud. Think of yourself for once, you big teddy-bear."

Cloud opened his eyes and sighed. The sky had changed to a lighter blue and the stars were fewer in-between.

He checked his phone and saw a message from Tifa. Probably wondering where he was at. He ignored the message, stood, and made his way back to his cycle.

He'd dwell on it later. For now, he'll go back and get some sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Murai: Long awaited? I don't know. Here's The next installment for those who have (or have not) waited.

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><p>Cloud drove down the stretch of road. His destination was unclear, but he needed the air and the wind in his hair.<p>

Earlier as he headed out of the house, Marlene and Denzel had acted as if they were worried he wouldn't come back. He'd always come back. How could he not? He frowned as he thought about it more. Was it something he said? Something he did? He couldn't place a finger on it.

He had gotten up before the rest, even after falling back asleep when he had gotten back from his nightly ride, and straightened up the bar. He broke a glass on accident and woken up the children.

"Cloud? What happened?" Marlene murmured as she came down the stairs. She rubbed her eyes sleepily played with the hem of her nightgown. Denzel made a noise that Cloud interpreted as an a 'Yeah. What ARE you doing' as he came down and laid onto the couch.

"Its just a glass. Don't worry." Cloud replied as he swept up the shattered glass and put it into the trashcan.

"Oh…. Okay." Marlene said. She walked over to the fridge behind the bar and grabbed a small soda and open the can. "Are you going anywhere later Cloud?" Marlene looked at him, sleep still evident in her eyes. It made him want to chuckle.

"May ride around for a bit." Cloud replied. Marlene shook her head. Denzel sat up and looked at Cloud.

"You are coming back right?" He asked the older man. "You are coming back. Right?" Cloud nodded.

"Cloud… You promise…" Denzel asked. Cloud nodded again. The smaller still looked at him intently. Cloud mentally sighed and nodded again.

"I promise I'll be back Denzel." Denzel watched him for a few more seconds then closed his eyes and laid back onto the couch. He was back asleep moments afterward. Marlene watched cloud as he went back to straightening up the car before she went to her room and too fell asleep.

Cloud sighed and figured it was one of those things that the kids needed reassuring of. For what reason, he not.

Cloud came out of his thoughts and looked around the fast passing scenery and noticed he had come towards Kalm. He frowned. It had been a while since he had been in Kalm. But he decided to continue on to see where his unconscious mind would take him.

Cloud took off his goggles and shook his head. He had ended up riding through Kalm, heading back out, and riding down the freeway when his motorcycle ran out of gas.

"Fuck." He murmured as he got off and kicked the kickstand up.

He turned to the motorcycle and kicked it uselessly. "Idiot." He said to himself silently. He figured he had two options. Walk the motorcycle and himself all the way back to Kalm (a good ten miles away) or sit and wait for a car to come by and help him in his dilemma.

He sighed, put the goggles into the side bag of the motorcycle, grabbed the handlebars, and began pushing. It was going to be a long walk.

Ten minutes down the road, he hears the roar of a car and the voice of someone familiar.


End file.
